Finkelstein
A Jewish ornamental or habitational surname built from German words meaning “spark” and “stone.”
The #7,258 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 67,250 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Finkelstein is a Jewish surname formed from German and Yiddish elements. The first part, finkel, is commonly understood as “spark” or as a related personal-name element, while stein means “stone.” In many cases the name was created as an ornamental surname, especially among Ashkenazi Jews in Central and Eastern Europe, though some bearers may have adopted it as a name inspired by place names or appealing Germanic word combinations.
History
The surname is especially associated with Ashkenazi Jewish communities in German-speaking lands and later in Eastern Europe. Like many Jewish surnames of this type, it became more widespread during the period when fixed hereditary surnames were adopted in the 18th and 19th centuries. It spread widely through migration to North America, Israel, and other diaspora communities.
Origin
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Fun fact
The element stein is one of the most common building blocks in German Jewish surnames, appearing in countless names from Goldstein to Bernstein.